NYSERDA recognized for partnership in energy initiative

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority has received the NeighborWorks Alliance of New York State’s 2011 Leadership Award in recognition of NYSERDA’s partnership with NeighborWorks organizations and their promotion of energy efficiency.

NeighborWorks organizations are grassroots not-for-profit community-based organizations that seek to strengthen local communities by providing access to home ownership and safe, affordable rental housing. Their partnership with NYSERDA ensures that families can access home energy improvement programs that increase energy efficiency and decrease heating costs, said Coordinator of the NeighborWorks Alliance of NYS Hilary Lamishaw.

Through its Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program, NYSERDA helps pay for energy improvements by providing incentives to households earning equal to or lower than 80 percent of the state or area median income, approximately $60,000 for a family of four in upstate New York and higher in downstate counties.

Since the start of this program, which provides a 50 percent incentive up to $5,000 for income eligible households, 11,400 households have improved their energy efficiency.

The 22 NeighborWorks organizations in New York State are part of NeighborWorks America’s network of 250 groups nationwide. In 2010, NeighborWorks organizations in New York helped more than 1,600 households purchase homes, provided more than 2,900 households with housing preservation assistance, created or preserved more than 450 privately owned rental units, and repaired 2,200 owner-occupied and renter-occupied units.

One Response

Wouldn’t it be nice if we were told how much money NYSERDA has spent on these projects, how much the property/homeowners spent in matching funds and the dollar savings that were generated by these projects. Info should be readily available, shouldn’t it?